Improvement in millstone-bushes



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Patented March 16, I875.

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THE GRAPHIC C(LPH 0T0 .-L|TH.39 A41 PARK PLACE, N.Y

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RODNEY s. OATHOART, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF nIs RIGHTTO STRAUB MILL COMPANY, OF "SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT I N MlLLSTONE-BUSHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 160,875, dated March16, 1875; applicalion filed I January 28, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RODNEY S. UATHCART, of Cincinnati, inthe county ofHamilton and in the State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Hanging Millstones; and do hereby declare thatthefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings making a part of thisspecification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the exteriorof my improved device. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the sameupon line now 'of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of thebearings, its follower, and adjusting-wedge. Fig. 4c is a plan view ofthe upper side of said device, its cover being removed; and Fig. 5 is ahorizontal central section of the same.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of thefigures.

The design of my invention is to furnish, within the center of the loweror fixed stone of a grinding-mill, a bearing for the spindle of theupper stone or runner, which shall readily conform to any usual changeof inclination of said spindle, and be adjustable horizontally, so as toenable said runner to be centered with reference to said lower stone; towhich end it consists, principally, in the employment of aball-and-socket bearing between each section of the box or spindlebearing and its follower, substantially as and for the purposehereinafter specified.

It consists, further, in combining with each box-section a follower,having at its point of contact therewith a ball-and-socketbearing, andmade radially adjustable toward or from thespindle, substantially as andfor the purpose hereinafter shown.

It consists, finally, in the device as a whole, its several parts beingconstructed and combined to operate in the manner and for the purposesubstantially as hereinafter set forth.

In the annexed drawings, A represents the casing or bush, whichexteriorly has such size and shape as will enable it to fit the centralopening of the lower or fixed stone of a mill,

CASE A.

and interiorly has a cavity, B, that horizontally has the form of aGreek cross, and is open at its upper side, and"is inclosed, when inuse, by means of a cover, 0. The lower side and cover of the bush areeach provided with a central opening, which corresponds to and receivesthe spindle D of the upper stone or runner. A stuffing-box, 0, isprovided around the openin g in said cover, for the reception of thepackin g required for closing the space around said spindle, andpreventing the passage of fiour or grain to the interior of said bush.Within the outer end of. each arm of the opening or cavity B is fitted apiece, E, which substantially fills the space laterally, and upon itsfront side inclines upward and outward, as seen in Fig. 2. A nut, F,secured to and projecting horizontally outward from the rear side ofsaid wedge, receives a screw, G, which extends vertically through theupper and lower sides of the casing, and at one or both of its ends isjournaled so that, while free to revolve, it is not capable oflongitudinal motion. The projecting ends 9 and g of each screw G aresquared, so as to enable them to be grasped and rotated by a wrench whenthe wedgeblock E, which is considerably shorter than the space betweenthe ends of the casing, will be raised or lowered longitudinally.Directly in front of each wedge E is placed a block, H, which issubstantially square vertically, fills the space horizontally, and issustained in position by means of two lugs, h and h, that projecthorizontally outward from opposite sides, and fit into correspondinghorizontal grooves b and b, which are formed within the parallel sidesof its space. The rear face of the block or followerH conforms to theinclination of the inner face of the wedge E, so as to have a firmbearin g thereon, while its front vertical face is cut away at its upperand lower edges, so as to leave a disk, h, that is circular, exceptwhere the lugs h and h intersect its sides. The face of said disk h isconcaved upon a circular line. In front of each follower H is placed asection, I, of a hearing, which section has a length nearly equal to thevertical dimensions of the cavity B, is plane upon its rear side,

and at its inner side is formed upon a line which corresponds to thecircle of the spindle D. Within the rear outer face of the section I isformed a recess, i, that corresponds in general size and shape to thelike features of the disk and lugs h and h of the follower H, the bottomof said recess being convex, in order that it may have a bearing upon orwithin the concave face of said disk.

As thus constructed, the operation of parts is as follows: The bush Abeing secured within the lower or fixed stone, and the spindle D of theupper stone or runner in place within said bush, by turning the screws Gand G the wedges E and Ewill be raised, and the followers H and H andthe box-sections 1 and I forced inward until the latter have a bearingupon said spindle. Should the spindle be out of center with relation tothe lower fixed stone, by lowering one wedge and raising that upon theopposite side, the sectional box, and consequently said spindle, may bemoved in the direction desired.

When the spindle has been properly centered, and the necessary degree ofcloseness between the box-sections and said spindle secured, jam-nuts Kand K are placed upon the lower ends of the screws G and G, and screwedupward until they bear firmly against the bush, and prevent all motionof said screws.

By means of the ball-and-socket bearings between the box-sections andfollowers, the former are allowed a certain degree of motion from avertical line, in order to accommodate any practicable inclination ofthe spindle, or to accommodate themselves to the varying positions ofthe bearing-surface in case said spindle should not be perfectlystraight.

The advantages obtained by the use of this invention are: First, itenables the box or bearings to be tightened from either side of thestone with ease and safety. Second, it afl'ords a convenient meanswhereby the runner may be centered or trammed. Third, the bearings forthe spindle are afforded such freedom of motion from a vertical line asto enable them to conform automatically to any variations in the line ofsaid spindle.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention, whatI claim as new 1s- 1. The combinationof the follower H, provided withthe lugs h and h and concave disk h, with the box-section I, having arecess, 1',

that corresponds to and receives said disk, said disk and recess forminga ball-and-socket bearing between said parts, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

2. In combination with each box-section I, provided upon its outer sidewith the convex recess '5, the follower H, having upon its inner sidethe concave disk 71/, and made radially adjustable toward or from thespindle, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

3. The casing A, provided with the cavity B and cover 0, the wedges Eand E, the nuts F and F, the screws G and G, the followers H, h, h, andh, and the box-sections I 41, all constructed as shown, and. combinedwith each other, the spindle D, and the fixed stone of a grinding-mill,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this25th day of January, 1875.

R. S. OATHCART.

Witnesses:

J. W. BREWSTER, A. O. ULRICH.

